This invention pertains to an electrical connector and, in particular, an electrical connector having a circuitized insulator.
Electrical connectors having contact pins mounted in a printed circuit board are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,002, discloses a circuit board formed of an insulative material having a plurality of holes therethrough, electrically conductive plating extending through the holes and electrical contact members extending through the plated holes. The printed circuit board is mounted in a separate plastic molded housing including a shroud which surrounds the array of contacts protruding from the printed circuit board. As is known in the art, the printed circuit board includes conductive traces which are generally copper tracing which is adhered to the FR4 circuit board via a subtractive process. The printed circuit board is known to have mounted thereto many components including active and passive components such as resistors. The above-mentioned patent discloses the use of thick film polymer resistors adhered directly to the printed circuit board. Such assemblies, as known in the prior art, have disadvantages in that mounting or adhering components to the printed circuit board is a time-consuming and intricate process. In addition, the prior art methods of assembling electrical connectors require multiple parts to act as a substrate for the components and traces and to support the electrical contacts, and a separate substrate to form the housing and shroud of the connector.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which is formed of a minimum of parts in order to provide for a connector which may be quickly and inexpensively manufactured and assembled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector, including a substrate formed of a moldable material which allows for the quick mounting of devices thereon.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector with a circuitized insulator which eliminates the need for a standard FR4 printed circuit board.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of forming an electrical connector which provides for the inexpensive and quick assembly of the electrical connector.